Buckle type folding machine



Aug. 12, 1958 E, OLSON 2,847,209

BUCKLE TYPE FOLDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. [owl/v 0&- so,

BY wk ATTOR EYS.

Aug. 12, 1958 E. OLSON BUCKLE TYPE FOLDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1955 3Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. EDWIN OLSOM BY flaw AI'TO EN EYS.

A 2, 1 58 E. OLSON 2,847,209

BUCKLE TYPE FOLDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 fbn/IIV04 so,

E615, as BY Z a v l 84 INVENTOR.

ATTOR N EYs.

Unitfid States Patfiii p BUCKLE TYPE FOLDING MACHINE Edwin Olson,Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Russel Ernest Baum, Inc., Philadelphia,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 28, 1955, SerialNo.490,957

1 Claim. (Cl. 27068) This invention relates to paper folding machines ofthe type in which paper is folded by a buckling operation.

The invention has especial reference to an improved mounting of thefeeding and folding rolls and to the driving means thereof.

As well known in the art, it has heretofore been con sidered impracticalto provide a folding machine of the buckle type which was capable ofimparting a large number of parallel folds to a workpiece. With respectto buckle type folding machines the industry has therefore resigneditself to machines so constructed as to be limited to imparting onlyabout four parallel folds, more or less,

depending on various factors well known to thoseskilled in the art.

One reason for the limited nature of the machines heretofore developedresides in the manner in which the various feeding and folding rollsweremounted in the machines.

permitted to separate slightly from each'other as workpieces passedtherebetween. However, because of the mountings and arrangementsheretofore employed the rangements of this nature, however, have provengeneral-.

ly unsatisfactory, are unduly expensive and require means fortransferring the work pieces from machine to machine, a troublesome andobjectional feature. Another objection to such an arrangement has beenthe relatively large.

amount of floor space required, two machines plus an interveningconveyor requiring approximately three times the space occupied by asingle machine.

In general, the rolls have heretofore been mounted in a resilientarrangement whereby they were It is an object of this inventiontherefore, to provide an improved folding machine of the buckle typewhereby the number of folds imparted to a workpiece may be substantiallyincreased beyond the number of folds heretofore considered practical toimpart in a single machine of the buckle type.

Another object of the invention is to proved mounting arrangement forthe feeding and folding rolls whereby certain of the rolls are fixedly(but rotatably) mounted in the frame and other coacting rolls areresiliently (also rotatably) mounted in a new and novel manner wherebythe resiliently mounted rolls may freely separate or be displaced fromthe fixedly mounted rolls in full conformance with the thickness of workpieces passing therebetween.

- Still another object is to provide a novel arrangement provide an im-2,847,209 Patented Aug. 12, 1958 comprising a series of fixedly mountedwork rolls and a series of independently and resiliently mounted workrolls in combination with driving means comprising a train of gears soarranged as to positively impart driving motion at all times regardlessof displacement of the resiliently mounted rolls as a work piece passesthrough the machine.

Other objects of the invention and the features of novelty will beapparent from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings of which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a folding machineconstructed in accordance with a preferred em bodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1, but with certain parts removed tofacilitate illustration of novel features of the invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line33 of Figure l, and showing in detail the journaled mounting of certainwork rolls.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line4-4 of Figure 1 and showing in detail certain features of an improvedmounting employed with certain other work rolls of the machine of Figure1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a similar view taken along the line 66 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 77 of Figure8 and illustrating a stud or suitable mounting for various idler gearspreferably employed.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic sectional view illustrating a train of gearsin accordance with the invention.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a, lever having apivotally aiiixed link comprising a bearing, member.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the pivoted end ofthe link of Figure 9. v

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic sectional view illustrating arrangement ofthe various feeding and folding rolls and the arrangement of foldingplates or pockets therewith.

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view through the initial. feeding andfolding rolls of the preferred embodiment, the view also showingdetailed fragments of the folding pockets and illustrating the bucklingand folding of the paper as it is advanced between the rolls.

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 12 but showing the folding of thepaper and the resulting displacement of a work roll as the final foldsare imparted to the paper.

Figure 14 is a semi-diagrammatic view illustrating the relativepositions occupied by their driving gears when the rolls are in theposition of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an accordion folded workpiece or pamphlet.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a deflector mounted inone of the folding pockets.

Figure 17 is a view illustrating the over and over type of fold prolucedby use of the deflectors of Figure 15. a

Figure 18 is a side view showing an alternative arrangement ormodification which may be substituted for the lever and link of Figure9.

Figure 19 is a side view showing a further alternative mounting for awork roll.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a preferred embodiment ofthe invention comprises frame members herein shown as side plates 10 and11. These side plates are affixed as by bolts. or screws 12 to othersupporting frame members such as indicated at 13, which form no part ofthis invention and serve merely to support the plates and 11, as will beapparent to those skilled in the art and which, for purpose of thisdisclosure, need not be herein shown and described in detail.

As shown, the plates 10 and 11 provide suitable and convenient means formounting the various Work rolls which are pertinent to the invention.Still referring to Figures 1 and 2, these work rolls comprise aplurality of rolls which, for convenience of this disclosure, maybedivided into two groups. Thus one group will be referred to as fixedlymounted work rolls and the other group will be referred to asresiliently mounted work rolls.

The fixedly mounted work rolls as indicated in Figures 1, 3 and 11comprise the rolls 14, 15', 16, 17, 18 and 19, while the resilientlymounted work rolls comprise the rolls indicated at 20, 21, 22, 23, 24and 25.

Referring now to Figure 3, which is a sectional view through the workroll 19, a preferred mounting which is common to all of the variousfixedly mounted rolls is shown. Thus, the roll 19 is provided with aspindle 19a on the right and a spindle 1% on the left. The spindles 19aand 1% are respectively journaled in suitable bearing members 30 and 31which members are fixedly mounted in the side plates 10 and 11 bywelding as indicated at 30a and 31a, or by any other suitable means aswill be apparent to those skilled in art. It is to be now understoodthat all of the various fixedly mounted rolls are mounted as justdescribed, these rolls being provided with spindles which are journaledin fixedly mounted bearings. Thus, while these rolls are free to rotate,when driven as will next be described, the rolls cannot shift from theirnormal operating positions as shown.

For purpose of driving the various fixedly mounted rolls each of therolls is provided with a spur gear fixed thereon. Thus, as in Figure 3,the roll 19 is furnished with a gear 190. Referring now to Figure 8,which is a semi-diagrammatic view of the driving arrangement, thepositions of the fixedly mounted work rolls 14 through 19 are indicatedby those numerals and the spur gear carried by each of these rolls isindicated by an appended letter c. Thus, in Figure 8 the rolls 14through 19 have spur gears respectively indicated at 140 through 19c.

Still referring to Figure 8, the fixedly mounted rolls 14 through 19 arepositively driven simultaneously and at identical speeds by means ofidler gears indicated at 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, which idlers arearranged as shown to mesh with and transmit motion between thesuccessive gears 140 through 196. The train of gears just describedassures proper and positive rotation of the fixedly mounted rolls 14through 19 at all times, the rolls rotating at identical speeds. Therequired driving power may be applied as convenient to any gear of thetrain 140 through 19c. However, as shown, the roll 14 is provided with agear 37 (Fig. 8) driven by a gear 38 which is mounted on a shaft 39having pulley 40 in turn driven by a belt 41 running over a drive pulley42 which as will be understood may be powered by any desirable meanssuch as an electric motor or the like, not shown. As will be clear,other arrangements for driving the rolls may readily be devised withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

The idler gears 32 through 36 may be mounted in any convenient mannerand various mountings thereof may be readily devised without departingfrom the scope of the appended claims. However, referring briefly toFigure 7, the idler gear '36 is journaled upon a stud 43 which stud isprovided with a spacing sleeve 44 and has a head 43a to retain the gearin operative relation, as will be apparent from inspection of thedrawing.

While not pertinent to the invention it may, however, be now pointed outthat the positive driving arrangement for the various lower work rollsas just described,.provides a convenient means for driving otherappurtenances of the machine, such as a feeding device (not shown) or aconveyor such as indicated at 90 (Fig. 1), for disposing of the foldedwork pieces.

, other gears.

Thus, any gear of the train driving the rolls 14 through 19 may bereadily engaged and employed as a driving means, it being understoodthat suitable power transmitting members (not shown) would be employed.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the roll 20 which serves only as aninitial feed roll, is resiliently mounted or spring pressed into contactwith the roll 14, the roll 20 having a spindle 20a and a spindle 20brespectively journaled in bearing members 45 and 46, each of which atone end is pivotally and respectively mounted as at 45a and 46a on theside plates 10 and 11. At their other ends the members 45 and 46 areengaged by compression springs 47 and 48 to thus urge the roll 20 intocontact with roll 14, the compression of the springs being adjustable bymeans of adjusting screws 49 and 50 threaded in lugs 49a and 50a of theside plates. For driving purposes the roll 20 is provided with a gear5311: which meshes with the gear 146 of the roll 14 (Fig.

One of the novel features of the invention resides in the resilientmountings provided for the rolls 21 through 25, the detailedconstruction and mountings of these rolls being identical. Referringbriefiy to Figure 4, the detailed construction of one of these rolls isclearly illustrated. As therein shown the roll 25 has spindles 25a and25b which extend outwardly through enlarged perforations 10a and 11a ofthe side plates 10 and 11, the perforations providing ample clearance topermit some displacement of the roll from its normal position as shown.The spindles 25a and 25b are journaled in bearings 51, 51 which bearingsare afiixed to rods 52, 52 in accordance with an arrangement which willlater be described in detail. As shown in Figure 4 the roll 25 isprovided with a gear 25c for purposes of driving the roll. To restrainundue axial movement of the roll thrust bearlngs or collars 53 and 54may be employed as shown, the collars being aflixed to the spindles andarranged to abut one of the side plates 10 or 11 if the roll tends tomove sldewise from its normal operating position between the sideplates. Other arrangements for this purpose may readily be devised bythose skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention.

Referring briefly to the driving diagram of Figure 8 the rolls 21through 25 are indicated by the numerals 21, through 25, the drive gearsof the rolls being respectively indicated at 21c through 25c. It may benoted that each of the gears 21c through 250 is engaged by two Thus forexample, the gear 210 is engaged by the gears 14c and 150, while thegear 22c is engaged by the gears 15c and 16c.

As previously stated, the detailed construction and the mounting of theresilient rolls 21 through 25 is identical. Referring now to Figures 1and 2, the rolls 21 through 25 are thus provided with spindles 21athrough 25a on the one side and spindles 21b through 2512 on the otherside, all of these various spindles being journaled in identical bearingmembers 51.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 10, each of the bearing members 51 isalfixed in any desired manner to a rod or arm 52 at the lower end ofwhich is affixed a second bearing member 55. The assembly of thesemembers 51, 52 and 55 may for convenience, be termed a link or an arm,the arm being pivotally attached to a lever 56 by means of a pin 57passing through one end of the lever 56 and the bearing 55. The lever 56is perforated as at 58 for the purpose of fulcrumed mounting and has adownwardly depending pin 59 for retaining a compression spring 60 aswill presently be clear.

As best seen in Figure 1 where a plurality of the levers 56 appear, thelevers are mounted by means of suitable fulcrum pins or studs 61, thelevers being urged by compression springs 60 to the positions shownwhereby each of the work rolls 21 through 25 is thus resiliently urgedinto contact with a pair of the fixedly mounted work rolls.

Adjustment of the springs 60 maybe provided by means of adjusting screws60a threaded in lugs 60b of the frame.

It may be pointed out with reference to Figure 9 that by virtue of thearrangement of parts as shown the bearing members 51 and the rollsjournaled therein may pivot or oscillate about the axis of the pin 57 ina path as indicated by the double headed arrow A. Also due to thefulcrumed mounting of the levers 56 the movement may be as indicated bythe arrow B, this movement resulting in compression of the springs 60 asthe levers 56 rock upon their fulcrums. It is to be noted that the rolls21 through 25 are thus resiliently mounted and with compression of thesprings 60, may move in any direction, such as indicated at C, whichresults from a combination of movements in the directions A and B.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the work pieces or fiat unfolded sheets ofpaper may be fed into the machine manually or by any conventionalfeeding device or the like not herein shown and forming no part of thisinvention. While entering the machine however, the sheets pass over asuitable or conventional feed board indicated at 62, a side guide 63 andhold down guides 64, 64 being provided as well known in the art.

The unfolded sheet thus fed into the machine is engaged between thelower fixedly mounted roll 14 and the upper resiliently mounted roll 20,these rolls coacting as feed rolls to initially drive the sheet forwardas will be obvious. Referring briefly also to Figure 11, the numerals 65indicate a plurality of folding pockets or buckling plates which as wellknown in the art are positioned in relation to the various work rolls asshown diagrammatically in that figure. The various folding plates 65 areconstructed as well known to those skilled in the art and are deemed torequire only brief description for purpose of this disclosure. Thusreferring to Figures 1 and 12, the buckling plates 65 each comprise apair of spaced plates 66 and 67 having an abutment member 68 mountedtherebetween. As well known in the art the abutment 68 may be adjustablymounted so as to accommodate various folded widths, the details of saidadjustable mounting being no part of the present invention and deemed torequire no detailed disclosure for purposes of this specification.

As best seen in Figure 12 the work piece 69 is driven forward by therolls and 14 until the leading edge of the sheet strikes the abutment68. Thereupon the sheet commences to buckle as at 69a, whereafter thework rolls 14 and 21 serve as folding rolls and grasp the buckledportionof the sheet to impart a definite fold 6% as the sheet is engagedbetween the rolls. Thereupon the rolls 14 and 21 function as feed rollsto drive the folded edge 69b into a second buckling plate 65 until theleading folded edge 6% strikes the abutment 68 of that buckling plate.Thereupon the sheet again commences to buckle as at 69c and the rolls 21and 15 engage the buckled portion 69c to impart a second fold or creaseto the sheet. These rolls then function as feed rolls driving the sheetthus folded into a succeeding one of the buckling plates 65. Thus thefeeding, buckling and folding operations continue as the work piece isdriven between the various work rolls until, as in Figure 13 the workpiece emerges between the rolls 19 and 25. As herein shown the workpiece now comprises a large number of parallel folds.

During the various folding operations the work piece becomesprogressively thicker as will be obvious. The resilient mountings of theupper work rolls permit movement of these rolls in an oscillatingfashion away from or toward the coacting lower work rolls as necessaryto accommodate passage of the work pieces therebetween. Thus referringto Figure 13, the resiliently mounted roll is displaced from its normalposition in contact with the roll 19 by the many thicknesses of thefolded pad 70. It is to be noted, however, that the roll 25 is displacedfrom its normal coacting position with respect to the roll 18 by' onlythe single thickness of the trailing portion of the work piece. Thus, asillustrated in Figure 14, the gear 250 of the roll 25 is displaced to aposition where it is fully out of mesh with the gear 19c of roll 19. Itis to be observed, however, that the gear 250 remains in proper drivingrelation with the gear 18c of the roll 18 so that the roll 25 issmoothly and properly driven. With reference to Figure 13 it is to bepointed out that for purpose of illustration the thickness of the foldedpad 70 is highly exaggerated in proportion to actual sizes of the partsand that, therefore, the relative displacement of the roll 25, and ofthe gear 250 (of Figure 14) is also exaggerated. Nevertheless it will beclear that proper and positive driving engagement of the gears ismaintained by virtue of the resilient oscillating mounting of the roll25, the roll shifting from side to side alternately displaced from therolls 18 and 25 in an oscillating fashion as the work pieces passbetween the rolls.

It may here be mentioned that limited successful operation of themachine may be possible to obtain without use of the idler gears asheretofore disclosed, but that for dependable high speed operation theidler gears are preferred.

Referring briefly to Figure 18 an alternative arrangement providing aresilient and oscillating mounting for a work roll is shown. As hereshown the roll 71 having a spindle 72 is journaled in a bearing element73 comprising a link 74 which is pivotally mounted as at 75 to anelement 76 slidably and resiliently carried in a lug or bearing 77 ofthe frame, the resilient means comprising a compression spring 78arranged as shown to abut the lug 77 and a collar 79 fixed as by a pin88 to the slidable element 76. It will be understood that a similararrangement of parts is required for mounting the opposite spindle ofthe roll (not shown).

A further alternative arrangement providing a resilient and oscillatingmounting is illustrated in Figure 19. As here shown the roll 81 isjournaled in a bearing 82 having a lug 83 to which a spring 84 isafiixed, the spring being anchored at its lower end by means of a studor the like 85 mounted in the frame. While this arrangement would permitoscillation of the roll 81 as required I prefer the mountings heretoforedisclosed for dependable and accurate performance of the machine.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6 the surfaces of the fixedly mounted rollssuch as the roll 19 here indicated, may preferably comprise a knurled orfluted surface as indicated at 87 while the surfaces of the resilientlymounted rolls such as the roll 25 may comprise a semi-resilient sleeveor the like indicated at 88, the surfaces of the rolls forming no novelpart of the invention.

As well known in the art, the conventional buckling plates as hereinemployed may readily be provided with deflecting devices such as oftenemployed to alter the normal course, or path of travel, of the workpieces passing through the machine. Referring briefly to Figure 16, adeflecting device 86 is shown as mounted in a buckling plate 87 andbeing relnovably retained therein by means of a set screw or the like88. Thus the once folded work piece indicated at 91 has been deflectedfrom entry into the buckling plate 87 and diverted into the succeedingbuckling plate 87a. As well known in the art and deemed to require butbrief mention for purposes of the present disclosure, the employment ofsimilar deflecting devices on alternate buckling plates results in anover and over type of fold as illustrated in Figure 17. It is one of theadvantages of the improved construction that a larger number of folds ofthis char acter may, if desired, be imparted to the work pieces. As wellknown in the art and deemed to require but brief description herein, theover and over type of fold may be employed in conjunction with a pastingoperation whereby booklets are inexpensively produced. In this type ofoperation a glue Wheel or the like is employed to apply a strip ofadhesive centrally of the work piece as it enters the machine. Uponemerging from the machine the folded work piece is next foldedtransversely upon the line of the adhesive whereafter the edges of thework piece adjacent to the line of adhesive are trimmed, the resultingproduct being a booklet all as well known in the art. It is to bepointed out, however, that by virtue of the improved machine, bookletsof this type having a substantially increased number of pages may berelatively inexpensively produced.

From the foregoing disclosure it will now be clear that the inventionprovides an improved arrangement of parts whereby as the various foldingoperations are performed the work pieces passing through the machine areengaged and driven forward by successive pairs of feeding and foldingrolls, the arrangement being such that each succeeding pair of rollsengaging the work pieces comprises a fixedly mounted roll and a coactingresiliently mounted roll whereby as a work piece is folded and becomesprogressively thicker, the rolls may separate in conformance with thethickness of the folded pad, the finally folded work piece thus emergingfrom the machine in properly folded condition as required.

Thus the invention provides an improved folding machine of the buckletype whereby a substantially increased number of folds may be impartedto the work pieces.

It is to be understood that the appended claim is not to be limited tothe precise number of rolls and buckling plates herein shown anddescribed. Other variations from the disclosure herein are also possiblewithout departing from the spirit of the invention and it is therefore,to be understood that the detailed disclosure is for 8 the purposemerely of illustrating the invention and is not to be construed as alimitation upon the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

In a paper folding machine comprising a frame mounting coacting workrolls and buckling pockets, a series of folding rolls disposed inrectilinear spaced relation and fixedly journaled in said frame, aseries of pressure rolls disposed opposite to the spaces between thesaid folding rolls, each pressure roll comprising a resilient journaledmounting urging the roll toward adjacent successive folding rolls whilebeing yieldable therefrom in all directions to accommodate the folds ofpaper passing through the machine, a drive gear mounted on each of saidfolding rolls, a drive gear mounted on each of said pressure rolls andengaging successive gears comprising the said series of folding rolls,and supplementary driving means comprising an idler gear disposedbetween and engaging each successive pair of the said folding rollsdrive gears.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,770,312 Kleinschmit July 8, 1930 2,699,331 McGarvey et a1. Jan. 11,1955 2,707,914 Harrold May 10, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 263,860 GreatBritain July 7, 1927 441,557 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1936

